Fujifilm announces pricing and availability of the X10 enthusiast compact

Fujifilm has announced its X10 enthusiast compact will start shipping from November 2011 at a recommended retail price of $599.95. Announced last month,the retro-styled camera features a bright F2.0-2.8, 28-112mm-equivalent lens and is built around the company's 12MP 2/3" (6.6 x 8.8mm) EXR CMOS sensor.

Valhalla, N.Y., October 7, 2011 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation said today that the all new premium compact FUJIFILM X10 digital camera first announced on September 1, 2011, will have a retail price of $599.95 and will be available in early November.

Building on the tremendous success of the sophisticated FUJIFILM X100 digital camera, the new premium compact FUJIFILM X10 is the latest addition to the growing FUJIFILM X-series of advanced digital cameras.

The FUJIFILM X10 features a new larger 2/3” 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor and a bright high-definition FUJINON1 F2.0 wide-angle to F2.8 telephoto 4x manual zoom lens (28-112mm)2 that produces superb image quality from edge to edge. The FUJIFILM X10 has a beautiful blackout and retro design that includes a traditional optical viewfinder with a wide 20° field of view for exceptional image composition. For more information, go to http://fujifilm-x.com/x10/en/.

The FUJIFILM X10 will be on display and available for all to see at the upcoming PhotoPlus Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on October 27 through Saturday October 29.

Comments

I already pre-ordered mine directly from FujiFilm. Beware any "deals" on Ebay as sellers are already pre-selling at a $grand. I think this camera is going to blow away G12 and P7100 in terms of much faster lens, manual zoom and all-around old-school feel for those of us who remember how to load film!

I want to know, when the X10 switched on, the lens will be like normal digital cameras automatically extend to it? I read several reports, as if not, I do not know the fact is even like? I really hope it will not automatically extend.

I placed an order for an X10. I've looked at alternatives, but the NEX and Micro 4/3 cameras are too large with lens for a carry-everywhere alternative to my D700. Having made images that sell with a G10, I am confident the X10 will come through in those situations when, "if you can't be with the camera you love, love the camera you're with."

I don't see the need for focus info in the OVF will be major problem for me. I'll set a manual aperture, manual focus at hyperfocal distance just like I used to in the old days - and be able to actually see people's expressions, which I can't squinting at an LCD. If the auto focus is any good, it should pick out faces anyway. You still have an LCD if that's your preference, but unlike most current small cameras you at least have the option of a reasonable OVF. I can't wait to see how it performs.

Perhaps not so wise to release this camera while it is becoming more apparent that the flagship X100 has chronic issues that require sorting first!My X100 is on its way back to Fuji as I type due to sticky blades,Unforgivable on a 5 month old £1000 camera!

Posted by magnumgf : "Do you actually take pictures or do you just spend your time writing in forums? What you wrote seems to make sense, only of you have some ulterior motive such as selling cameras. I wish you the best of luck with that. I suppose the suckers who fall for your nonsense deserve what they get."

...

My dpreview gallery, some taken with almost a decade old dslrs needing photographer to think like film days & not rely on the cameras thinking.I have also been shooting rangefinders since the 80's, starting with Yashica Minister.

Anyone with experience of shooting fim rangefinders, sould find shooting through X10 OVF easy.Anyone who has used compact digicams with an ovf should find shooting through X10 OVF easy.Anyone who has not used digicams with ovf shouldl after a while become accustomed to X10 OVF.

...

What a silly attack you made on me magnumgf.You made an idiotic & immature attack on mr.Moronic twit attack as you have made should be sent to the trash.

I think you are completely missing the point here.(Most) people on this forum understand that "old" SLRs or rangefinders allowed for good pictures to be taken.But all of them (at least the ones that I knew,e.g. old Nikon F cams, Leica M etc.) gave you a hint on exposition status AND focus information in the OVF!How are you going to get this information if not shown in the OVF? It is NOT a question of experience to take good pictures without such information at hand. Its just a game of luck. I see only one way: taking the cam off the eye, adjusting parameters, checking exposition on screen, looking through OVF again, composing image, then taking the picture while hoping light didn't change too much in the meanwhile, and hoping the cam picked the right focus point(s)......This is not very practical, and error prone, but maybe I am the one missing a point, then please educate me, I' eager to learn.

I think what noobdprseller may have been trying to say is that having a clean viewfinder removes any distraction from the shot which sounds fine in theory. As ThomasX mentions you can always look at the LCD screen but I agree seems a bit awkward to be looking through VF and then back to screen. I would prefer having easy way to change OVF display on and off. I guess you have to pay extra for that sophistication in the form of the X100?

I agree having exposure info on the black real estate surrounding the screen (just as in dslrs) would have been been useful.YET as i know from my Canon S70 & Ricoh GX8 compacts which had a tunnel ovf, once we become used to how the camera exposes & focuses it really does become pretty straight forward.

Fuji engineers with decades of experience know what they are doing.I feel they have they meant the OVF to be used for bright light, architecture & landscape in fully auto for action, fast moving, photojournalism, reportage, street (where speed & tracking is an essence).For anything precise they have the LCD with 49 AF points & manual focus.

"No shooting info on OVF:This will make us a better photographer.TBH i like just me deciding what aperture, shutter, iso, ev i need to make nice photos.I dont want camera to decide, i dont want to rely on a camera giving me info to make a nice photo.Shooting through OVF takes us to the root of making nice photos."

Do you actually take pictures or do you just spend your time writing in forums? To decide aperture, shutter speed, etc. you need some indication of the exposure and what the values are. The X10 OVF gives you NONE of that. If you rely on the OVF you MUST also rely on the camera to automatically adjust those other parameters. You can not see any of them through the OVF.

How can you focus through an OVF that does not show you the focus? Tell me the secret method...

What you wrote seems to make sense, only of you have some ulterior motive such as selling cameras. I wish you the best of luck with that. I suppose the suckers who fall for your nonsense deserve what they get.

I had a plastic tunnel ovf on my Canon S70 & Ricoh GX8.I nailed focus every time.After a little use focusing though X10 OVF will be easy. These days CDAF is sophisticated in small sensors, and X10 AF is reportedly fast. Manual focus, likewise with a little use will become easy.

No shooting info on OVF:This will make us a better photographer. TBH i like just me deciding what aperture, shutter, iso, ev i need to make nice photos.I dont want camera to decide, i dont want to rely on a camera giving me info to make a nice photo.Shooting through OVF takes us to the root of making nice photos.

85% view:This means more will be taken than what the lens shows (as someone said by about 9% vertical 9% horizontal).Useful as wont get cropped elbows, parts of things chopped. We can trust X10 OVF to get everything in.

Am I the only one eager for a useable compact with hotshoe etc. that has AA batteries? Does no-one use Sanyo Eneloops and wish they had that reliability in their compact as well?

I picked up my G9 this weekend with mini 270ex eqivalent Sunpak flash. I hadn't used it since last recharge, but it only managed a few shots. With Sanyo Eneloop or equivalent technology, that would not have happened.

My ideal camera is one that lasts, and while I wnat the Fuxi x100, I'm loathe to get another one with funky batteries.

I still have the F31fd, and the battery seems to last for ever, and also to hold its charge for ages. The camera often sits around for weeks, even months between charges. Just as well, since you can only charge the battery in-camera.But I have bought myself a set of cheap hybrid rechargeable AAs from Lidl for use in the children's cameras. Let's see if it makes a difference.

I'm still a fan of AA (eneloop) batteries but the drive for the "smallest possible" camera has knocked them out of even the bridge cameras. Even though two AA in a grippable bumped handle seems to be a clear design win.

One question is will the new Fuji bridge X-S1 being Li or AA. I (unfortunately) suspect the former.

BTW, cheap Chinese AA NiMH I've found have a poor performance: high self-discharge and a tendency to fail to high resistance. The "good brands" (essentially all eneloop licensed technology) is the way to go.

Looks nice with the retro style and metal body. Otherwise totally incomprehensible. Can anyone tell me what the point of a viewfinder that does not show what you get in the picture, it only shows 85% and it has parallax error. On top of that it does not show ANY shooting information, not even focus. You would be better off looking over the top of the camera if you ask me. There are other cameras out there with much bigger sensors, can be fitted with electronic viefinders that give you all the shooting into, can use a variety of lenses and only cost slightly more. Why would you pick the Fuji over them?

Magnumgf, I see your points, however, this is meant to be a competitor with other compact cameras, not micro 4/3. It boasts a slightly larger sensor (1/1.5, comp to canon 1/1.7, and lx5 1/1.6) and a very fast f2-2.8 lens, and a rugged built. The test samples on lenstip.com look good wrt noise up to iso 1600, though sharpness does not seem that good. gotta wait for a review. there is nothing which is pocketable which zooms, with your qualifications. the Sony Nex-5n with 16 2.8 looks amazing, but once you put the 18-55, its no longer pocketable.

Oh, this OVF whining over and over again. I've lived with parallax viewfinders for around 30 years. No problems. And remember, the realistic alternative to this kind of viewfinder is no viewfinder at all. That's how most of today's compacts are designed.

Can anyone tell me what is the point of a... sub credit-card sized electronic pastiche of the nascent image, scarcely discernable by the squinting eye under the summer sun? You might as well close your eyes and chance a shot in the direction of the sound of the wind in the leaves.

Why not an electronic one that shows you 100% or the image, focus, and other shooting information? What is the point of looking through a viewfinder that hardly tells you anything more than you can see, just by looking over the camera?

I was already wondering - how to work with an optical viewfinder that gives me no focus information? I could potentially survive having no other information at hand when looking through it, but focus? Does that mean I have to rely on the camera picking the right focus point? No way...I can't take pictures like that.Or did I misunderstand the concept?

I do street photography with an LX5 no need for a viewfinder at all, I would like an X10 simply for the EV dial. Sometimes with the LX5 dial, even though set to EV adjust, I inadvertantly push it and end up adjusting something else.

I would love to see a manufacturer brave enough to start from a blank sheet and produce an ergonomically optimised design. I doubt very much the result would be cuboid. But until that day I'll take the retro-chic brick over the clinical modern brick. At least the retro-chic school panders towards chunky external controls, and lots of them, I guess because the genre was invented before much else was possible.

Well, it seem we will have to wait DPreview test to check the IQ... by the way, in the spec I saw that max shutter speed is 1/4000, which I think it's ok --- although a digital ND would be great. And "bulb" mode, doing a USB wire control should be trivial.

I am quite worried about the AE bracketing, it seems limited to +-1 EV... I hope Fuji is reading this... and this could easily been my dreamed LX-5 enhancement.

What's digital ND? All compacts with a built in ND filter actually have a physical ND filter that deploys in front of the aperture. Can't imagine what a digital ND filter would do other than over-expose the image and adjust the tone curves (but thus ruin dynamic range)

My Canon S95 has f/2.0 at wide-angle and I don't think I've ever gone faster than 1/1000. I tend to only use f/2.0 in low light. Outside there's nothing to gain by using f/2.0 (shallow dof on a small sensor camera, not so much) and the glass is markedly sharper at smaller apertures.

I don't understand the need for f2 into the sun at wide angle. If you are trying for DOF (portrait or otherwise) then you would be shooting at the long end at f2.8. Also, at f2.8 the shutter speed on the x10 can go to 1/2000s (1/4000s at f4). This should be fine for bright light.

The PEN lenses have poor apertures for night/concert shots.I took a EPL-2 into a concert this year and the lenses (14-42, 40-150) were inadequate to say the least.I like the X10 for the fast glass. The Oly XZ-1 isn't bad either. The key for these 2 cameras is you get great apertures at max telephoto (2.8 for the X10, and 2.5 for the XZ1)

Sensor: to be generous, 2 stops advantage for mft (reality will rather be between 1-2 stops). Lens: mft zoom f5.6 at 84mm, X10 f2.8 at 112mm. At equivalent focal length more than 2 stops advantage for the X10. EPM1: No build in VF. No manual zoom. Relatively loud shutter noise. No build in flash. Via hotshoe its either EVF or flash, but ot both.

DSLR Systems... I Agree. I don't need another system! My K5 handles everything I need to do, but what it doesn't do is fit in my PC Bag when I'm out and about. The F200EXR does, (as did the F31 before it) but is showing signs of age...Up to now what 've seen shows that Fuji have woken up9at last). Stop at the F600 PLEASE, and start producing decent IQ again with lenses tac sharp corner to corner.

My only negative on the X10 is that, some level of water resistance would have been nice to see, given it's 'professional' image and expected day to day use.

If it was $499 wouldn't that have been something. I wish Fuji had said to themselves we wont compete price wise with other premium compacts, we will go $499 offering more than any of these premium compacts.

Although all the other premium compacts G12, LX5, XZ1 are now at least a year old hence $100 less, and P7100 being a new release is almost the price of X10.

If people would spend $450 on a G12, XZ-1 or P7100; Fujifilm is well within their rights to charge $600 for this. If the lens is as good as its spec's lead on, no to mention an optical viewfinder thats seems words ahead of any of its smaller sensor competition, it is worth every penny to an enthusiast.

I did not buy an X100 because I did not find it to have enough value, APS-C or not, but this seems to have hit a sweet spot and with a very versitile lens an a 2/3" sensor that will prob outperform Nikons larger yet noisy J1 sensor, it should do nicely.

Looks like a nice camera, but am a bit baffled at the forum comments for a camera that is not out yet. The only reason I'm posting is to say that the body, from what is shown is more reminiscent of the Leica rangefinder, and that is nice. Eager to see the specs, reviews, etc.

ha ha ha ... Fuji I love you.For about the same price I get a Nikon D90 body or a Canon EOS 550D body.I guess street price has to come down for at least 10% to 20% over the next months to become competitive.

This camera reminds me of my Canon G3, announced 9 years ago. It was a very good camera at that time, with a relatively large (1/1.8") sensor, an optical viewfinder and a fast lens similar to the X10 lens (35-140mm equiv. F2.0-F3.0). It's a pity that most compact cameras have such slow lenses. While I've moved on to a DSLR and a Canon S90, I was never able to find a good replacement for the G3. This Fujifilm X10 is the first camera that comes close, so I will definitely want it if performance and image quality matches the other specs.

I'm not sure what you mean by this response. Obviously, there have been many improvements in the last decade, but the megapixel race has not been one of them. Nor these superzooms with maximum apertures in the F3.5 - F5.9 range, (unless one prefers versatility to image quality). To me, image quality and low-noise/low light photography are very important, but finding this in a small package is not easy.

Well I pray that this camera can be used for what it was build for (unlike the x100). Reportage and snapshots. Please, please Fuji, dont mess up the processing. The camera needs to react FAST. Recycle times between shots MUST be less than 0.5s for this cam to be usable. Everything else is just perfect Manual zoom, bright lens, sensor large enough to use iso 400-800.

Shot to shot cycle times are far too sluggish. It is impossible to quickly take a second shot when you dicover that you need a diffeent framing, focus or exposure. Most scenes will be over once the Fuji is ready to shoot again.

But it is sort of 6 MP. The sensor is special, it has EXR modes and can give higher dynamic range or lower noise. And the resolution will then be lower. I am not sure myself, but visit Fujifilm.com and read about the EXR features. Or ask in the Fujifilm forum here. I would like to see EXR 6MP samples from this sensor. 6 MP is good enough resolution for my use.

yeah. I'm no fan of the megapixle craze but trust me... anything below 12mp is kinda tight. The only reason Canon and company have been using 10mp sensors is out of cheapness, not because they could not have put in a better sensor in the same space. The 3 year old F200 EXR 12mp has a 1/1.6 sensor with a touch higher resolving power and dynamic range than the S95. The X10 could rival or surpass the Nikon J1/V1 if this 2/3" sensor resolves as well for its size as Fuji's old 1/1.6 CCD. Also taken into account if the J1/V1 full res preproduction demo shots unsurprisingly turn out to be the final result.

The more pixels on a small sensor there are, the smaller they need be and thus more prone to overflow with blown highlights and noise. The reason 10MP is the max on most high-end compacts is not because manufacturers are too cheap to put biggers ones in, but because experience has taught them that 10MP is the limit after which IQ is ultimately compromised on such sensors. That's how I understand it anyway. Cheers.

While there are a few of those LensTip samples that have me going "hmm", most are pretty damn good. I've downloaded the portraits for example and run them through my usual basic steps, (bit of a sharpen, an S-Curve, pump the colours slightly, some definition, etc) and for OOC JPEGs they are very nice. The RAWs should be stellar - if the shadows hold their detail.

This one too for example. http://pliki.optyczne.pl/X10/fujX10_fot26.jpg

It's not amazingly sharp, but for an unsharpened ISO800 OOC JPEG? From a compact? There'll be lots of comparisons down the line, and it's just a gut feel, but I don't think my XZ-1 would be close to that quality at ISO800. Could be wrong though.

I have an XZ-1. In JPEG ISO 800, the NR would smooth all the details. In RAW, it would be much noisier. I'm liking the look of X10 images so far. Sort of DSLR-like in quality, with good dynamic range, and no typically agressive NR obliterating fine detail.

a) DPR's X100 review was before the firmware updateb) it's kind of silly to deprive yourself of a camera with probably the best IQ of any APS-C camera based on a subjective review that took place before Fuji fixed the "issues" with the firmware. Shooting with an X100 is a pure joy.

To be fair (I have the X100 and I love it), the review was altered after the 1.10 firmware. The problems mentioned on that page are still there, and you need to work around them when using the camera. It's a great camera, but it's not exactly friendly. I'm hoping they've been developing the X10 firmware, which is why there haven't been new firmware versions for the X100. When they ship X10, we should get new firmware for X100 as well. If we don't... Well, at that point I'll be a bit offended at Fuji.

re (b), IQ is not the only deciding factor when I'm looking at what to buy. I expect a premium camera to handle as a premium camera and being supported by manufacturer, as an expensive camera, for a long time. The fact alone that DPR went out and compiled the list of bugs - the fact that there was only limited response from Fuji - tells me, a prospective buyer, that Fuji is not up to task of building a premium camera. As if hardware compromises alone were not sufficient to drag the experience down....

They have basically created themselves a new market, and they're still getting used to it. I don't think they expected the reaction they got to the X100 announcement, (actually i'm sure of it) they would've had ordered a bigger stock of they did. But we wouldn't have the X10 if it wasn't for the popularity of the X100, not to mention the mirrorless announcement for next year. Anyway i'm saying that the X100 was a beta experiment, the X10 will be much better firmware-wise, and i'm sure they'll learn to listen to this new market's demands better each time.

retro looks for the sake of being retro does absolutely nothing for me especially at the expensive of ergonomics and bulk to get the "retro look" . At this zoom range unless this camera with it larger sensor and retro looks unless it has good ergonomics and consistently turns out absolutely stunning pictures , I would still prefer the Panasonic LX5 for daily/street compact camera. Also why the manual zoom? That in it self is a turn off and a major draw back when shooting hand held video. I was giving serious consideration to the Olympus pen e pm1 or the e-pl3 until I got to handle them at samys cameras in Pasadena Ca. Both cameras have nice retro looks but are slick and very hard to hold. Due to the lack of buttons on the camera to give the a "clean" look they have overly complex menu systems that bury useful functions behind a plumbers nightmare menu system. The pen e-pm1 and the e-pl3 get a A grade on looks a D grade for ergonomics and user friendless. I need a more than retro .

Great to hear that...looking forward to checking it out at Henry's.This might just be what I was looking for...I used to love my LC1 and this looks to be a huge upgrade to that...with another magnificent lens!

It seems a nice camera . Since I ve been so disappointed by my X100, I am suspicious. I don't believe this view finder will be better than the pathetic one on the G11. 85% coverage and no parallaxe correction, forget about it !

how could it possibly be as bad as the one in the G11? That thing is a plastic viewfinder ala holga next to all the effort thats gone into the X10. One thing for certain, even with a only slightly bigger sensor, it will destroy the complacent stagnant G line in IQ.

the X100 is a photographic definition of an oxymore. It would be too long to really explain my strange feeling about this camera (I love it I hate it in the same time) too much strange behaviour, too much strange conception. Focus, frame, exposition, speed, stop, you never know what will happen. Believe me I did thousand of pictures on the last movie I ve been working on, most of the time it just turned me crazy.I am using back my dslr (Canon 40d) much much more simple and RELIABLE ! I may buy a Epson RD-1 since Leica is really too expensive for me.

I have a feeling english is not the person's native language. The poster probably meant that it is paradoxical since you can love it and hate it at the same time. (much like a beautiful but problematic classic car)

Really beautiful compact!!!!!But cannot give any credits to fuji....just looks like a camera from the 60sHope more dc makers make retro style camerasWill fuji out a silver version, or a gold limited version...anyone? :P

I have a Canon G11 which, by an large, I've been pleased with but have been tempted by the X10 due to the manual zoom which, when working with my SLR I find a very natural way of working, plus the superior frame burst (much better than G11). I've been put off looking at the IQ quality in the samples though - even at 100 ISO it looks unusually soft and the degree of noise is troubling. Its a shame as it looks a joy to use. I'd like to see some more samples in due course.

I have to agree the market place for these hi-end super compacts is getting really tight. I played with an X10 and was impressed. I liked the manual zoom lens, sadly I couldn't take any pictures. My current compact is a Canon s90 which I love. Given the way Sony & Panasonic are taking over the market place in Japan I really hope that Canon bring out a full APS-C sensor compact and don't go the route that Nikon have with the crapy life style V1 & J1. I think the age of the ultra compact ultra high end pocket camera replacing the traditional DSLR is almost upon us.

Played with an X10 at an Calumet Open Day this week at Calumet Birmingham England. Nice little camera - like the fast manual zoom. Wasn't able to take any pictures, shame. From what I could tell there was no real lag, I felt it was as fast as a Canon s90 - which for a P & S is pretty quick. Fuji Rep made it VERY clear that an X100 (X200?) with interchangeable lenses in on the way. Watch out Leica fans!

I have read pretty much every comment so far here about the new X10, I am so amazed by the amount concern about price point. I like this camera, it fits my needs as pocket; travel camera and for candid street photography. Money is not an issue for me, so I have ordered it with all the trimmings to go with... like the leather case and a hood. Thanks FujiFilm, looking forward to years of enjoyment from it since I buy a camera only once every 5 years or so.

Well there is no mirror to pop up, and when using the OVF it's basically in power mode because it doesn't have to 'turn off' live-view before it can shoot. I remember reading somewhere it's in the 0.00something.

Fuji:"Shooting with the X10’s optical viewfinder dramatically reduces shutter lag – the time taken between pressing the shutter release and capturing the image. Without the moving mirror of a DSLR, or the Live View of a conventional compact camera, the X10 is more responsive, meaning you won’t miss that special moment."

Shutter lag is actually very short on compacts. It's the focus speed that is slow. Next time try to prefocus with a half press of the shutter button and you'll see that there's hardly any lag at alll. There's a wide spread miss use of the term shutter lag.Technicality aside, Fuji does have the technology to implement fast phase detection focus on compact cameras. I, didn't hear they are using that on this camera though.